Spirits
by Creek The Mischievous Spirit
Summary: Beyond the Clans in a starry realm, evil is stirring among the spirits. Not StarClan; these spirits control everything you see around you. One such spirit, Moon, yearns to live among the Clans, but has duties at her home. She finally gets her chance to leave, but is there more to this than meets the eye? (Adopted from Shadow765.)
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hey guys! As you can see, I've decided to start a new story. I'm just running out of ideas for _Tales of the Evil_, sadly. This seemed like a good time to start something new. So, enjoy the prologue of _Spirits_!**

ALEGIENCES

ThunderClan

Leader-Ravenstar:Black tabby tom with umber eyes

Deputy-Sunclaw:Light ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes

Medicine Cat-Foxfang:Dark ginger tom with pale green eyes

Warriors-Hazelfur:Pale brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Berrytail:Brown and cream tabby she-cat with green eyes(Apprentice:Icepaw)

Vineheart:Silver tom with black stripes and blue eyes

Goosepelt:Pale gray tom with black spots and dark blue eyes(Apprentice:Pigeonpaw)

Cloudchaser:White tabby tom with amber eyes

Shadowstrike:Dark gray tom with pale amber eyes

Oakfoot:Dark brown tabby she-cat with lighter paws and pale blue eyes(Apprentice:Lightpaw)

Squirrelfang:Brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Mosspelt:Black and white tabby she-cat with pale green eyes

Brambletail:Black tabby she-cat with umber eyes and a shredded tail

Apprentices-Icepaw:White she-cat with gray stripes and blue eyes

Pigeonpaw:Gray tabby tom with yellow-green eyes

Lightpaw:Tan and white tabby she-cat with pale yellow eyes

Queens-Ivyclaw:Dark gray she-cat with yellow-green eyes(Mother of Flamekit:Ginger tom with yellow eyes and Graykit:Gray tom with amber eyes)

Leopardspots:White she-cat with distinctive black spots and dark green eyes(Expecting Shadowstrike's kits)

Elders-Mudwhisker:Dark brown tom with wavy stripes and yellow-green eyes

Seedtalon:Tan tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Marshfur:Brown tom with yellow-green eyes(Former ShadowClan warrior)

ShadowClan

Leader-Jumpstar:Gray tabby tom with green eyes

Deputy-Scorchwhisper-Ginger and white tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Medicine Cat-Frogtail:Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with umber eyes

RiverClan

Leader-Silverstar:Silver and black she-cat with yellow eyes

Deputy-Minnowclaw:Brown tabby tom with pale blue eyes

Medicine Cat-Heronfeather:Long furred white tom with yellow-green eyes

WindClan 

Leader-Sagestar:Tortoiseshell she-cat with pale yellow eyes

Deputy-Smalltail:Ginger tom with a short tail and yellow-green eyes

Medicine Cat-Breezefire:Brown and white tabby tom with blue eyes

* * *

All was calm. No wind dared blow over this sacred land. This was the land of the spirits. An endless forest was their territory. Amid the infinite peace, a cat lay staring into a pool of water. It was a gray she-cat with dark blue eyes and darker gray spots.

She lay staring into the pool, occasionally sighing as if something had upset her. She would do this for hours, staring and sighing. Others would try to convince her to leave but she would not hear it and spent as much time as she wanted staring into the pool.

Only one being could peel her away from her Watching Pool, another cat. He was a golden tom with vibrant green eyes. He, and the she-cat's other friend, a white she-cat with pale gray eyes, told her to forget the living and do her job.

Another, though, encouraged her to watch the living. She had no idea why he encouraged her odd behavior, but did not complain.

After what could have been an eternity, the she-cat stood up and hesitantly walked away from the pool and deeper into the sacred woods. The sun had risen and it was time for her to sleep.

She wove her way through the undergrowth. The she-cat walked for what could have been an eternity or a single heartbeat. She only stopped when she came to a thick tangle of oak roots. This was her den.

She ducked into the low roofed den and curled up in the thick layer of moss that covered the floor. This made the floor soft and springy. With yet another sigh and blue eyes filled with sadness, the she-cat lay her head on her paws and tried to sleep.

But try as she might, she could not fall into her usual deep dreamless sleep. What she saw in the pool flashed before her eyes and she felt the familiar pang of longing that gripped her stomach every time she thought of the pool and the living cats she spied on. The way they worked together to keep each other safe and warm. That was how she wanted to live.

She was not dead, she was a spirit. Different from elementals, who are born with the power to control an element, spirits controlled what they were named after. Spirits were solitary for the most part, only meeting when it was absolutely necessary.

She would not accept her destiny, though, and longed to live as a living cat. As a warrior. Her longing was strong, so strong in fact that it was hard to resist the urge to run away. She watched them with longing through the Watching Pool, wishing to be one of them. She wished she could fight alongside them and help them.

She was a determined being and always got what she wanted. She swore to herself that she would become one of the living, no matter what it took. Even if it meant giving up her immortality and her spirit powers.

But for now, the white she-cat dealt with her sleeping issues and soon fell into a light, dream-filled sleep. These dreams were filled with images of her as a kit, then an apprentice, and a warrior fighting for her Clanmates. Or maybe she would be a medicine cat and heal the wounds of her friends.

She awoke as the sun was making its decent. She got to her paws and left her den behind. Her paws led her along her well known path to where she did her job. She let out a purr of laughter as she envisioned the chaos that would ensue if she failed to do her job.

What would they do down there on the Earth if she did not make sure the moon rose and fell as it was supposed to?

**A/N: Hope you liked! I'll try to update fast but I update faster if you review! Until next time. Oh, and for the other Clans, their full allegiances will come when they begin to be important. Until next time! **

**-Creekrunner**


	2. Attack

CHAPTER 2

**A/N: Welcome to the second chapter of Spirits! Thank you so much to all who reviewed. It means a lot to me that you guys take time to tell me how I'm doing. Now, on with the story!**

"Where have you been, Moon? We've been waiting forever for you!" meowed a golden tom with green eyes like miniature grassy suns. They were sitting in a glade of long grass, surrounded by towering oaks. Next to him was a pure white she-cat with unusual gray eyes.

"Sorry, I woke up a little later than usual," responded Moon, "So, anything interesting happening in the living world, Sun?" she asked, taking a seat next to him in the grass. Every time they met, someone asked that question. There was not much to talk about in the spirit realm.

"Just more cats around the world dying and fighting, just the usual," mewed Sun. His vibrant green eyes revealed his boredom.

"Nor have I, all I've been doing is turning dead cats into stars," commented the white cat.

"That's all you ever do, Star," mewed Moon drily, "Seriously, it's so boring here! Nothing ever happens, more of a reason to be a Clan cat," she finished half to herself. But her friends heard and gazed at her sharply.

"Oh great, you're staring that again?" Sun complained, "Just forget them, there's no way to Earth anyway." He glared at Moon. "And even if there was, it's probably not in your domain of power. Not to mention you never age! We may be wise but looks at us! We're the size 6 and 8 moon kits!"

"Yes there is. There's always a way," the white and gray she-cat said stubbornly. She stood and began to pace in the long grass. "Even if I never age, I can find a way to fit in."

Star rose and strode over to Moon and stopping her pacing. "Until then, please forget these fantasies of becoming one of the living," murmmered the white she-cat. "It's getting on everyone's nerves." She draped her white tail over her friend's shoulders, sympathy lighting her gaze.

"Please do," muttered Sun. Star shot the golden tom a look sharp enough to cut bone. "Sorry, not helping, I know," he mewed, ducking his head and breaking eye contact. Sun shuffled his paws, obviously embarassed.

"But I can't! Their life just seems so..." Moon was at a loss for words, her mind slipping momentarily into a world where she was indeed a Clan warrior. Not even a rough nudge of Sun's paw snapped her out of it for a second.

"Hello! Moon, you there?" Star's voice pierced her thoughts and returned her to the conversation at paw. "Please just forget them just for a while; it'll do you some good."

The gray and white she-cat sighed, it just seemed so hard but she submissed. "Fine."

"Thank you!" said Sun. The golden tom had looked up and was watching the two she-cats. He got to his paws and turned to leave, "Look, I'd love to stay but I gotta go make the sun rise and all that important stuff. See you later." With that, he turned and raced through the grass and into the trees.

"Mouse-dung! That means I have to go too." Moon gazed at Star apologetically. Then she spun around and ran out of the glade and into the forest to make sure the moon fell as it was supposed to.

_What am I going to do with her? _thought Star with a chuckle. The white spirit got up and padded calmly out of the clearing, content with going to her mossy nest by the lake.

* * *

The next night, the white and gray she-cat woke earlier than usual. After a luxurious stretch, she exited her warm, cozy den and skipped to the glade where, undoubtedly, her friends waited.

She had gazed into the Watching Pool again the night before after she had finished her job, staring and sighing. She had watched a ShadowClan apprentice receive their warrior name. She watched the Clan cheer for the proud she-cat and saw how proud she was. Her longing had grown stronger with that.

Weaving through bramble thickets, she let her mind wander. She thought of her friends, her mother and father, even her siblings. She rarely thought of them, even though she saw her siblings nearly every day. Moon arrived in the glade before even the ever punctual Star. The gray and white spirit sat and wrapped her tail neatly around her paws and waited.

When her friends finally stepped into the glade, their fur was fluffed up in agitation. Fear and distress shimmered in the depths of their eyes. They sat across from Moon. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" she asked urgently, leaning forward.

"Y-Yes. Something major, frankly I'm surprised a minor spirit wasn't sent to tell you!" mewed Sun. His attitude had not diminished, but rather was amplified by his distress. Star had begun to pace, her fluffed up white fur making her look like a fluffy snowball. Her stormy gray eyes, though, gave her the appearance of an angry stormcloud.

"What happened?" Moon had stood by now, the fur along her spine prickling from the tense air that had by now dominated the atmosphere. Her mind went wild with speculation at what could be this important.

"Flower and Forest were attacked. They were taking a stroll by the Dark Lake and evil spirits ambushed them," Star growled. She had not stopped in her pacing, merely lifted her head and spoke. Moon started in suprise.

"What? But I thought they only stalked the Shadow Realm," Moon meowed in shock, but her head was cocked in confusion. She sat down again in the long grass, "Are they okay?" She realized what may have happened in an instant. And if it did, she had a bone to pick with one of those dark spirits.

Sun answered this time, "We think so. Flower managed to summon some herbs for when someone found them," although he sounded confident, the golden tom's voice cracked with uncertainty. "But they didn't work form what I heard. It had something to do with, what was it? Oh yeah! Poisoned claws. Apparently they covered their claws in dark poison of some kind."

"Time found them. He-He came racing to us, trying to tell us what he had found," Star pitched in. "We were the closest spirits at the time. She had ceased her anxious pacing and stood still, trembling slightly. Moon felt a stab of sympathy for the white she-cat. Forest and Flower were her kits. Moving closer to her friend, Moon pressed comfortingly against her side.

"He was pretty upset. From what we know, they're in critical condition," Sun said. Moon nodded. They were Time's kits too; it was only natural that he'd be worried. It must have been heart-wrenching for them, the gray and white she-cat thought. Her blue eyes sparked with worry and fear. Why would the evil spirits attack now? Spirits rarely attacked each other.

"Oh, I hope they survive," whispered Star. Her gray eyes swam with worry. She rose to her paws and returned to her pacing, wearing a path through the grass. She went on like this for hours, Sun and Moon working together-for once-to calm her down. They tried everything from tackling her to pleading with her to get her to calm down. Nothing seemed to work, though, and soon they gave up.

Then, an idea popped into Moon's head, "I may be able to help them!" This caused her friend to stop in her tracks and gaze at her. The idea was so sudden, Moon wasn't evev sure it was feasible. But she didn't dare tell Star that.

"How?" she croaked, her eyes brimming with emotion.

"Moonlight! It's a trick I picked up living alone. You know, when Space declared we were not to meet for the first years of Earth. You may be able to do the same with sunlight and starlight!" The gray and white spirit began hopping up and down, excited now. "Meet at my den with Forest and Flower at moonhigh."

Practically radiating hope, Star nodded, "We'll be there!" she wheeled around and raced out of the clearing, undoubtedly to check on her kits and inform them of the good news.

"Meet you there then," meowed Sun. His green eyes brimmed with hope as he rose and ran out of the glade. Moon hurried through the dense woods to her den to prepare for the ritual.

* * *

Nothing lay on the floor of her den. Sun stared in confusion around the oak root den, "Where's all the herbs?"

"We don't need them," meowed Moon cheerfully, "Moonlight is all we need," she sat in the moss, staring at the golden tom with a carefree expression. But deep inside, her guts churned like a hurricane. The starry spirit was not completely sure she could do this on other cats; she had only had need to use it on herself.

"Well then how does this so-called medicine work?" questioned Sun. His green eyes were still clouded with confusion and his mind was racing.

"Magic," was the simple reply. Moon stood and strode to the entrance, peering out to see if Star and Time had arrived with their wounded kits yet. No cat was in sight. Then, as she turned to slip back into the den, a shadow flitted at the edge of her vision.

"Who's there?" she asked, whipping around to stare into the forest. A broad tom stepped out of the shadows. He had a pelt of the blackest black. His eyes were endless golden pits, broken only by the darkness of his pupils. Time had arrived, "Where's Star?"

"Bringing Flower and Forest, they're barely concious," murmured the tom. His eyes filled with fear for his two kits. "They regained a little conciousness by the time Star came to help me with them."

A rustling in the bushes distracted them from the task at paw. Out came Star, two cats supported on her shoulders. One was a dark brown mottled tom. His fur reminded Moon of tree bark. His eyes remained closed as he groaned in pain.

The other was a cream colored she-cat with pale brown markings. Her eyes too were closed and she too whimpered with pain. Both spirits' pelts were torn and lacerated with scratches and bites. Instead of crimson blood, the wounds leaked a silver star-like liquid. Moon gasped in surprise at the sight of her mangled comrades.

"They must have been very persistent to injure them this bad," muttered Moon. Her blue eyes shined with sympathy as she gave orders to the other cats, "Star, set them right here. Time, go sit in my den and tell Sun to stay put," She flicked her tail to an open space in front of her. It was doused in moonlight.

With a grunt, the white she-cat laid her kits on the ground. "Can I stay?" she asked. Moon noticed her friend was looking anxious. She probably just wanted to make sure her kits were healed properly. But, alas she couldn't watch.

"I'm sorry but no. This ritual cannot be watched, or there may be dire consequences," meowed the gray and white spirit. Her gray-eyed friend nodded sadly and joined her mate and Sun in the den. She remembered when a spirit, she didn't know who, had watched her heal herself. A tree had exploded and bark had lodged itself into both of them. Why this happened, she did not know.

Turning away from her den, Moon took a deep breath and began to chant, "Moonlight so bright, moonlight so brave, pierce the shadows that are these wounds, heal them like you soothe."

The she-cat began to glow. The moonlight in the clearing seemed to gather around her, _Just have to concentrate on them now_, she thought. She focused and concentrated hard, her moonlight blanket smothering the injured spirits. Then, things went awry.

**A/N: Oooh! What happened? Will they survive? Only one way to find out, review! The more I get, the faster the next chapter will come. **

**-Creeky out!**


	3. The Darkness In Us All

**A/N: Special thanks to Ariana Mary Riddle and The Mighty Silverblaze for reviewing! I love to hear what you guys think.**

CHAPTER 3

Terrible screeches tore the air; Flower and Forest had opened their eyes, they were wide and frightened, constantly changing colors. One set turned from vibrant green, to deep amber, and finally to a very pale blue. The other, an array of colors, any color a plant may hold.

Horrid black smoke rose from the scratches and bites lacing the victims' pelts, causing their agony. A red glow surrounded the two spirits, turning their eyes a deep crimson and seemingly amplifying their wails.

"Help us!" moaned Forest.

"Make it stop, make it stop!" screeched Flower. Moon looked on, feeling helpless, _This wasn't supposed to happen! What is going on?_

They twisted and writhed in agony as more black steam rose from their pelts, one brown and one cream. Finally, the pain eased and their struggles ceased along with their yowling. But the smoke still rose.

The glow of all three spirits diminished and Moon let out the breath she had unconsciously held in. She nearly collapsed as she tried to step forward. The power she had kept contained had drained her not only physically but mentally also.

Nevertheless, she staggered forward, reaching her patients' sides. Her eyes widened as she stared at their wounds. Oozing scabs had grown to cover them, breaking their pelts with streaks of yellow-pink flesh. Pus oozed from around them, dampening the cats' pelts and clumping their fur together.

_What have I done? _She crumpled to the ground beside the two cats, feeling utterly defeated. Moon began to sob softly, her ruffled cheek fur becoming wet with tears.

"M-Moon? What's wrong?" Star had crept out of the den, her eyes wide as she took in her sobbing friend and her kits, "No! They aren't..." the white she-cat could not bring herself to finish the question. Instead, she fell to the ground, not shedding tears; a broken expression on her face.

"No...they are...just...unconscious," panted the gray she-cat. She hoped it was true, but doubt got the best of her and forced her to believe they were dead. Star had crept forward on her belly to lie beside her offspring. Her head was bowed, her gray eyes closed.

She heard movement behind her and glanced back over her shoulder to see that Time and Sun had stalked out of the den, "What can we do to help?" whispered Sun. His aloof attitude had diminished completely when he viewed the loss his friend suffered.

"Carry...them to my...den" Moon wheezed. Her gray and white sides heaved with the effort of catching her breath. As if her purpose had been just to tell them that, her blue eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed, out cold.

Her unconsciousness was wrought with visions. Visions of horrid deaths and torture. Then, she saw him, the black smokey mass in the form of a cat. It was Darkness, the ruler of the shadows.

To his right, a brown mottled tom sat proudly. On the other, a cream she-cat. A jolt of shock hit her like lightning. These cats weren't evil...Or so she thought. Watching, she saw the world become a wasteland, the sky turned blood red and mounds of bodies served as thrones and other features. Bones littered the ground and crows and ravens soared through the air, cawing.

Horrified at what the world could become, and by what her friends may become, she tried desperately to escape her dream. It didn't work. Moon was forced to watch the world crumble and fall beneath his giant...feet? She looked down and realized she was now a Twoleg. She must have changed while she was trying to wake up. Panic surged through her until a thought popped into her mind

_Yes_, she remembered, _each species sees us differently. And we all have an animal we prefer to be. _Right then, she realized she was wearing some sort of white pelt and there were leaves wrapped around her head in a crown. Moon saw she was holding a curved piece of wood with the two sides attached with some sort of vine.

Memories flashed through her head as she remembered this form's name. Artemis. In that moment it became clear where this part of her was from. She was from a place far away from where she lingered, in terms of space and time both.

Darkness had also changed. His entity was still towering and still like a curl of smoke. This person's name, Moon could not recall but she knew that in both worlds, Darkness meant trouble. But the scenery remained the same, as terrible as it was before.

Suddenly, as fast as it had began the dream ended. She was no longer Artemis, but herself again. Moon was laying on her side in the den, surrounded by Sun, Star, and Time. Her white and gray pelt was ruffled and spiky and she ached everywhere.

"She's awake!" exclaimed Sun. Strangely, relief shown in his eyes, not something Moon would expect him to show her. Groaning, she heaved herself to her paws and glanced around.

Forest and Flower were still unconscious and lay near the back wall of the den. Looking outside, Moon saw that the time had not changed and realized with a start that it hadn't moved because she had not commanded the moon to sink and Sun the sun to rise.

Before she could do her job, a curl of shadows appeared at her den's entrance. Out of the shadows stepped Darkness himself, "What do you want, you filth?" hissed Moon with unusual ferocity.

"Ah, beautiful Moon, charming as always I see," he purred, sauntering into the den. His black tabby pelt blended with the walls to the point where only his pale red eyes shone. Spotting Forest and Flower's lighter pelts, he made his way toward them, picking his way carefully through the den. The others were frozen in place, too scared of what Darkness may do to move.

"Don't talk to me like we're still mates! You know that time is over," spat the gray and white spirit. Her blue eyes were narrowed with fury and she alone dared to intervene and stop his progress toward her two patients, "Now, why are you here? And you better answer me this time."

Instead of responding, Darkness shoved past his ex-mate and sat beside the two unconscious spirits. Leaning down, he touched his black nose to their flanks. As if shocked by lightning, the two cats' eyes flew open and they jumped to their paws. But, as they laid eyes on the tom that had awoken them, they instantly calmed.

"Come, my friends. It's time we left this realm and returned home," commanded Darkness. A gasp sounded from behind Moon as Forest and Flower obeyed and followed him out of the den.

"What did you do to my kits?" whispered Time. His eyes were sullen and his shoulders drooped in sadness.

"Everyone has a dark side. I just helped theirs take over," Darkness replied. With that, the three spirits vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Why did this have to happen?" sobbed Star, "Why?"

**A/N: Poor Star. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review!**

**-Creeky out!**


	4. A Break to Watch

SPIRITS 4

Moon was exhausted. It was the day after their run-in with Darkness and the gray and white spirit had had no time to rest. With her moon raising duties and trying to get help for Forest and Flower she had had no time for sleep. She was now fighting her way through a wall of thorn bushes. Her fur was tangled and snagged on all sides. "Mouse-dung!" she hissed, surprising herself. "I don't swear," she said to herself, stopping her struggling briefly and looking confused.

Soon, she had broken through the bushes with her pelt mostly intact. In front of her was a beautiful little pond. Thorns surrounded the clearing on all sides and boulders lay on the shore of the pond, adding to the startling beauty of the place. This was the home of the ruler of all spirits, Space. The tom was one of the eldest spirits, alongside Time and their brother Chaos and sister Order. Order had long since traveled to Earth to maintain balance down there since it was scarcely needed among spirits.

Chaos, on the other paw, had spent eons wreaking havoc on Earth until Order banished him to the Shadow Realm. The dark tom had resided there since before Moon and her siblings were born. His rule there was widely known as one of evil and torture. Many tales circulated around about what horrors awaited any good spirit that dared venture there. Eternal torture, pain of the worst kind. They were tales of the unspeakable.

"Greetings, Moon. What brings you to my sacred home?" A soothing voice snapped Moon out of her reverie. Gazing around, she saw him. His pelt was a deep, dark purple-black and was littered with white specks and swirling masses. His fur looked as if he had captured the whole universe in there. His eyes shone like twin stars, a brilliant contrast to his darker pelt.

"Greetings, Space. I have come to ask for your assistance," said Moon, keeping her tone respectful. Space cocked his head curiously and gestured with one paw for her to continue. "Have you been informed that two of the spirits here were brutally attacked by evil spirits at the Dark Lake? Then, as I attempted to heal them, Darkness came and took them! I don't know what he did to them but they went willingly!"

By the end of her story she was seething with rage towards her former mate. Space seemed genuinely surprised upon hearing this news. "So, Darkness is meddling again, eh?" the tom mewed. "And what exactly do you expect me to do about this, Moon?" he asked. Moon's jaw dropped. To her, it was very clear what needed to be done.

"You need to bring them back of course! Do you think they like it there in the Shadow Realm?" snapped the fuming spirit. Her respectful tone had diminished to reveal utter outrage. During this little outburst, Space flinched. He knew what he had to do. The problem was that he couldn't.

"Moon, please try to understand. If they went willingly as you said they did, then there is nothing I can do. It was their choice to leave," meowed the ancient spirit. His eyes were wide and sympathetic as they locked with blue eyes as hard as ice.

Moon growled in frustration. "But he did something to them! He made them want to leave!" She glared at Space, determined to make him take some sort of action against Darkness.

"I know you have a grudge against him, being your former mate and all, but from what you've told me, all he did was give them reasons to come with him. I'm sorry but he did nothing wrong," Space tried to reason. But the tom could tell from the look in her eyes that she was not satisfied.

"Fine. If you won't help me, then I guess I will have to take care of this myself." She turned to leave but Space slipped in front of her and blocked her path. "Get out of my way!" she snarled.

"Moon, you aren't allowed to interfere either. Don't you understand? We can't do anything to get them back!" Space was getting desperate now. He couldn't let her go. It would ruin everything he had worked so hard to acieve. "Just forget about it and relax for a while. You need it."

Moon relented. "I guess I have been kinda stressed lately." Slipping past the tom, she made her way out of the clearing, intent on not staying any longer. Why couldn't the tom see what was happening? Why didn't he realize what repercussions this could have? Her troubled thoughts lingered all the way back to her den.

Suddenly, it dawned on her that she hadn't been to the Watching Pool in a couple of days. With all the action, she hadn't even thought about it. That'll cheer me up, she thought. But first, she had to make the moon rise. Off she went along her secret paths to do her job.

* * *

Sun and Star sat in their normal meeting spot. Wind stirred the tall grass and leafy trees around them. They had been sitting there waiting for Moon for what seemed like ages. "Where could she possibly be?" asked Sun impatiently.

Star shook her head. "I don't know. She went to speak to Space last night." Sun's green eyes grew wide and his fur stood on end as a million scenarios ran through his head, none of them good.

"You don't think he-"

"Why would he do that? Space is weird, not cruel," Star cut him off. Sun's fur smoothed as he realized she had a point. "But I would like to know what she is doing."

* * *

Moon lay at the edge of the Watching Pool. She was observing her favorite Clan, ThunderClan. They were so honorable and honest. Well, mostly honest anyway. Ravenstar, their black-pelted leader, had sparked his fair share of battles. But he was a good leader that knew how to treat his Clan.

His deputy on the other paw, was a bit cruel. He issued severe punishments to any unlucky cat that crossed him. The apprentices thought he was from the Dark Forest. There were even rumors of the ginger tom training there in his dreams like some of the ancient Clan cats. None of that was true of course, but it made things more entertaining for Moon.

Right now, a couple of apprentices, a gray tabby known as Pigeonpaw and a tan and white she-cat known as Lightpaw, were sneaking around in the shadows cast by the walls of the hollow in the evening light. They were slithering toward a dark gray warrior whom was sitting by the hollow entrance as a guard. They were planning to scare the poor warrior.

The two apprentices were soon hidden against the thorn barrier. Slipping behind the guard, Pigeonpaw lightly batted his tail. He then dashed back to his sister as he glanced behind him. As the warrior turned back to watch the entrance, Lightpaw made her move. She snuck forward and positioned herself where Pigeonpaw was moments before. Softly, she whimpered, "Help me. Please help me." She then began to tremble slightly for added effect.

The warrior turned yet again and stepped forward to see what was wrong. Meanwhile, Pigeonpaw was slipping behind him. "What's wrong, Lightpaw?" the warrior asked. Lightpaw did not respond. Then, with no warning, Pigeonpaw leaped on the warrior's back. The warrior yowled and fell to the ground. Writhing, his eyes widened in fear. Then, Pigeonpaw jumped off his back, laughing.

"Gotcha, Shadowstrike!" the siblings cackled. Shadowstrike glared at them. He was often pranked by the apprentices because of his name. The "shadow" part of his name was not supposed to be used and they were frowned upon if it was. Such was the gray warrior's problem.

Moon jumped as a tail touched her shoulder. She sprang to her paws and whipped around, snarling, only to find Sun and Star. She flattened her fur and quit her snarling. "See? I told you she'd be watching those stupid cats again," said Sun smugly. Moon glared at him.

"Why do you keep watching those cats? You're never going to be able to live among them," Star told her, trying to show her why it was a bad idea to put in her head. "Even if you could find a way to Earth, you have to remember that we don't age. They would cast you out as a freak!"

"I don't care," Moon insisted, her fur bristling again. Behind her, the Watching Pool glowed slightly. Whipping around, she sat stubbornly and continued to watch ThunderClan. Sun and Star glanced at each other helplessly.

"Moon-"

"No." The white and gray spirit cut off her friend without even glancing in her direction. Her blue eyes remained fixed on the pool of water.

"Well, I give up." Sun sighed and began to walk along a dirt path through the forest. His white pelted friend hesitated for a heartbeat before whipping around and racing to catch up. And Moon sat, staring into the pool, until the time came for her to make the moon sink and let the sun shine in the treetops.

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! My summer has turned out to be super busy. I hope you enjoyed and don't forget to drop a review! Special thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! Oh and just to clear this up, Star and Time are mates and their kits are Forest and Flower. Moon and Darkness used to be mates. I will try and clear up the family tree as we move along with this story.**

**-Creeky out!**


	5. I Didn't Tell

SPIRITS 5

**A/N: I apologize for the long wait. School has been kicking my rear and I've had no time to write. Please enjoy this long overdue chapter!**

Moon was sleeping. She had finally been able to lay down and sleep after the whole incident with Darkness. The moss was as soft as kit fur and the she-cat was out as soon as her head hit the ground. Shadows criss-crossed the ground outside as sun filtered through the tree branches high above the ground. And as Moon slept, she dreamed.

It was a terrifying dream. Once again, she was in her human form, as was Darkness. His form was Nyx(the fact that he was not female contradicted all human mythology that they followed and it confused Moon beyond belief). They were in a bleak and ravaged land that practically reeked of despair. It was all stony gray and black mist as far as the eye could see, which wasn't very far.

They fought. Artemis and Nyx(Moon was not exactly sure of the names; her memory of human mythology was fuzzy at best) were locked in bloody combat, their swords glinting dully in the scant light. Their blood was not the red of a human, but the gold of a god and it leaked from the many wounds that both sported from the heavy combat. None were serious enough to cripple the warriors and they continued to hack away at each other, hoping to get lucky.

Moon ducked a swift side swipe aimed for her throat and lunged, aiming for the tender flesh of Darkness's stomach. The taller god quickly side stepped and brought his sword down in a shining arc. Moon threw herself to one side to avoid the deadly blow of the biting steel weapon. They clashed for what seemed like hours, one never seeming to get the upper hand.

Then, it came to Darkness. They were surrounded by rubble and other unconventional tools. He decided to put them to use. Taking the brunt of a blow to the side, he crumpled. "Mercy!" he sobbed, "Take mercy upon me and spare me O mighty Artemis!"

"Give me one reason why I should let a pitiful scrap like you live, Nyx," she replied, the fire of battle never fading from her eyes. But the point of her sword had gradually lowered until it rested in the dust. It was then that her opponent took advantage of his surroundings.

"Because if you don't, I won't spare you!" With that, Darkness threw a handful of dirt and rocks into Moon's eyes, effectively blinding her. Her eyes stung, but not as bad as the edge of Darkness's sword biting into her gut. It cut through her silver armor like butter and tore at the soft flesh beneath. Moon gasped and fell to her knees as the sword was tugged free and her life began to drain away onto the cold ground. The last thing she saw was Darkness in his black armor, sneering at her as she died.

Moon woke with a start, sweat causing her fur to stick together in clumps. Fear was making her shake. It was nearly moonrise out. With a relieved sigh, she rose to her paws and slowly padded out of the den. Above her, the trees swayed gently in a midnight breeze. She breathed in the cool night air and felt her fear drain away and the shivering cease. Moon stood for a moment and let the sounds of the night soothe her.

It was strange what wonders just a glimpse of nature can do for a soul. As Moon began to shrug off the dream, she realized she still had to make the moon rise. She bounded off toward her place and soon forgot all about her horrible dream.

At least for a while.

As soon as Moon got done, trouble began once more. From her place, which she had dubbed Moon's Clearing, the she-cat heard screeches and yowls. Like a bolt of lightning, she took off toward the sounds. Swerving around bushes and shrubs, she noticed the sounds were coming from the clearing where Sun liked to do his job. Moon looked up and noticed the first rosy tendrils of morning in the sky.

When she arrived, it was utter chaos. Mangy cats with bloodshot eyes were grappling with her friends. Sun was surrounded and looking pretty battered. She wasn't sure how much longer he could fend them off. But for the moment he was handling himself fine. Star on the other paw, was buried under a pile of hissing, tearing cats. With a feral growl, Moon launched herself on top of the pile and began hauling the cats off her friend.

She tore a cat off the pile and sent it crashing to the ground, only to stare in surprise as it disintegrated into dust. A screech beneath her brought her back to her senses and she was soon back to ripping cats off the pile and sending them into oblivion. As she neared Star, the mangy cats began to fight back against her, finally realizing there was a new enemy to be dealt with.

Moon hissed and swiped a paw across one's cheek and sent it reeling into dusty death. She tore at the beasts until she could see her friend's white coat flashing in between her enemies. Moon dove down and sank her teeth into the nearest patch of white and began to heave upward. When Star was free, Moon pulled her free of the pile and drug her out of harm's way.

Star had been knocked unconscious and was bleeding heavy starshine in multiple places. She would be unable to fight or really do anything for a while after this was over. Moon maneuvered her friend under a bush and away from the bloodshot eyes of her attackers. Making sure none of them had seen, she leaped back into the fray to help Sun.

Moon fought her way to Sun's side, receiving a few scratches in return. Sun shot her a weak smile of gratitude. He was panting hard and bleeding heavily from a wound on his belly. He could collapse any minute. They had to get out of there, and quick.

Pain shot up Moon's spine as teeth latched onto her fluffy tail. She spun around, hissing ferociously, and sank her teeth into her enemy's dirty throat and threw him to the ground where he promptly disintegrated. Now that she had time to look, Moon noticed that these cats were nothing more than dried skin and ratting bones.

Zombies. _If Darkness is behind this, I will kill him where he stands, _though Moon angrily, _He'll be nothing but a pile of ashes when I get through with him. _The thought sent a surge of anger through the pale she-cat and threw her into a rage. Not caring who she hit, Moon began to hack her way through the surrounding zombies. Stupid as they were, they just kept coming and shambled straight to their demise.

The angry she-cat steadily ripped through their numbers, disposing of them before they had time to react. As the last of the zombies shambled forward, Moon's rage faded and she began to feel the ache of her wounds. Panting, she looked herself over. There was a bite mark on her tail and a few shallow scratches on her flanks and shoulders. There were no serious wounds.

The spirit then turned her attention to Sun. His belly was still bleeding as were a dozen other wounds along his back and shoulders. His head was lowered and his legs were shaking. The golden tom slowly sank to the ground panting heavily. Moon bounded over to him.

"Sun! Are you okay?" Moon asked.

The tom lifted his head. "Moon? I-I think I'm okay. They came out of nowhere, Moon. Star and I were having a quick word before I had to raise the sun and all of a sudden they were everywhere. Star? Where's Star? Is she okay?"

"Shh. Star will be fine. I got her out of harm's way," soothed Moon.

"Oh no. I have to raise the sun!" Sun tried to rise but Moon gently pushed him back down.

"Now is not the time. The mortals can go one day without the sun," the she-cat said, "We can get Sky to cover the sky in clouds so they don't get scared."

"Yeah. That will work for today." And with that, Sun sank into unconsciousness.

Moon sank her teeth into the tom's scruff and began to haul him over to where she had hidden Star. She dropped her friend beneath the bush and went off to search for help and herbs. _Hopefully, _she thought, _these were not the same things that attacked Forest and Flower. I don't want to lose any more friends. _She soon came to a small, silvery stream and eagerly began to follow it, constantly scanning the ground for herbs and up ahead for help.

"Help! Is anyone out there?" the pale she-cat shouted, hoping another spirit was nearby.

She was in luck, for a voice replied, "Where are you?"

"By the Silver Stream!"

There was a rustle of bushes off to her left before a slender cat emerged. It was a silver-blue she-cat with the brightest blue eyes of all the spirits. It was Sky.

"Moon? What's going on? Why are you calling for help?" Sky questioned. Her blue eyes darted to and fro, searching for danger. "Was there another attack?" Her eyes widened as Moon nodded.

"Sun and Star were attacked in Sun's clearing. As of now they're both unconscious and bleeding heavily from several wounds," Moon replied, watching as those blue eyes grew even wider.

"Well, can I help?" asked Sky anxiously. Worry shined in her eyes and her blue-gray fur was fluffed up.

"Of course. I need help carrying them to my den. I have healing herbs there." Moon began to pad back to where her friends were. She added as an afterthought, "Oh! And since Sun wasn't able to raise the sun, could you make the sky cloudy? Panicking mortals won't help our situation any."

"Sure thing! Clouds are easy," meowed the other she-cat enthusiastically, glad to be given something to do. She happily followed Moon through the trees and back to the clearing. When they reached the bush, Moon reached under and dragged Sun out from under the spiky branches. Sky gasped.

"Can you carry him please? Thanks." The gray and white she-cat reached back under the bush and pulled out Star. She was still bleeding. "We need to hurry," mewed Moon, turning back to Sky. Sky nodded and sank her teeth into Sun's scruff and lifted him off the ground as far as she could. With a flick of her tail, Moon began to head back to her den.

It was hard going carrying their friends like they were. They had to constantly stop and unsnag their fur from branches and bushes and had to be careful as to not make their wounds any worse. But after a while, the going got easier once they'd learned how to maneuver their unconscious loads around bushes and low hanging branches. By the time they reached Moon's den they were puffing from the strain of it, even Sky who had done nothing particularly exhausting before this.

"Bring him in but be careful," Moon instructed, "Set him on the moss in the corner of the den." She then retreated from the den to grab Star and lay her inside. The she-cat laid her friend gently onto the moss beside Sun. Moving to the opposite side of the den, Moon sniffed around in her herbs, searching for marigold. Finally she found it. "Can you go out and find me some cobwebs please, Sky? Thanks."

"Why don't you just use your moon healing powers?" Sky cocked her head curiously. Her companion shook her head, too lost in yesterday to answer. After a while, understanding dawned in Sky's blue eyes. "It didn't work, did it?" she queried.

Her gray and white friend sighed. "No. It didn't. It went so horribly wrong the other day. I-I don't know what I did wrong." She hung her head.

"It's okay. The mortal ways of healing work fine too." With that, Sky turned and left to find cobwebs. After she left, Moon took the marigold and began chewing it into a poultice and dripping the juice in Star and Sun's wounds. Sun groaned a bit at the sting of the juice, which Moon took as a good sign. Soon after, Sky returned with cobwebs.

Moon applied the marigold poultice to the wounds then gently bound them with cobwebs to keep the poultice secure. She then turned to her waiting friend. "There is not much we can do now but wait," she said, "But if you could, I think it would be a good idea to tell Time what has happened."

"Um...Okay. But why would Time need to know?" The blue-gray spirit looked confused.

"Time is Star's mate, remember?"

"Oh. Well...okay. I'll be back." Sky turned and left the den, content with not staying near the injured spirits. Blood made her queasy.

Not long after Sky had departed, Moon received a not exactly welcome guest.

"Moon?" queried Space. "Are you in here?" He took a hesitant step into the den and waited for his eyes to adjust to the cozy gloom. He soon spotted her eyes glowing in the dim light in the far corner of the den.

"What do you want, Space?" Moon growled, not at all pleased with his sudden appearance. She narrowed her eyes.

"I-I just wanted to see how Sun and Star were," Space meowed.

"They're fine," Moon replied curtly, "Now leave." She turned to check on her friends. Then, she realized, how had Space known that they were injured? She turned to find him still standing at the entrance to the den. "How did you know they were injured?" the gray and white she-cat meowed carefully, "Did Sky tell you? She is supposed to be getting Time."

"Yes she did, as a matter of fact," replied Space. "Sky told me she was supposed to get my brother but deemed it more important to tell me first."

"Traitor," Moon snorted. She began to pace, eager for her uninvited guest to leave. "Now how about you get out of my den and go back to your little hideout," the she-cat said, still pacing.

"As you wish," Space replied with a dip of his head. "But I would like to see you later; I have something I would like to discuss with you." With that, he turned and ducked out of the woven den, not daring to look back.

Moon snorted again and muttered a "fine" before turning to check on her friends.

Sun was just beginning to stir. Moon saw this and was at his side at an instant. With a groan, the ginger tom sat up. "Moon? Wh-Where are we?" He gazed around in a daze. "Where's Star? Is she okay?" Sun's green eyes widened in sudden panic as Moon attempted to calm him.

"Sshh, sshh, you're fine. We're in my den," she meowed soothingly, "And Star is just right over there. As soon as Sun saw she was telling the truth, he calmed. He sighed and closed his eyes. Soon, he had drifted back into sleep. Moon picked a spot in between the two sleeping spirits and sat to watch over them. A while later, Sky returned with Time. She stood up to greet them and shot an icy glare at Sky.

"Is she okay? Moon, please tell me she's okay," pleaded Time, his eyes wide with fear for his mate.

"She'll live. She hasn't woken up yet, though, so you will have wait if you want to talk to her," responded the gray and white spirit. "Now, if you'll excuse me and Sky, we have something to discuss." Moon began to leave the den and flicked her tail as a sign that the she-cat should follow. With a worried glance at Time, the silver-blue spirit followed her out into the forest.

"What's wrong, Moon? What did I do?" Sky questioned.

"Why did you have to tell Space about what happened? You didn't have to involve him in this," snapped Moon angrily. Her tail lashed as she confronted the other she-cat. The treetops above them swayed in the wind.

Sky was taken aback by the harsh reaction. "But-But-"

"But what? You should've gone straight to Time, but instead you go off to tell that useless lump of fur what happened. What if Star had faded before you got back? What would Time have thought about that?" Moon glared daggers as she finished her tirade, but was met only with confusion. "What?"

"Moon, I didn't tell Space."

**A/N: Another cliffhanger! I hope this chapter was long enough to keep you guys satisfied. I just got a new laptop and a burst of inspiration so I tried to make this chapter long. Anyway, I'll be updating Tales of the Evil next and maybe starting a new story so it may be a while before this gets another chapter. I will try and hurry!**

**-Creeky out!**


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